We all love to travel, but there are some corners of the Earth where tourists are definitely not welcome. Whether due to dangerous wildlife, secret government experiments, or ancient curses, these are Forbidden Places.
Visiting these locations isn’t just illegal; it could be fatal. If you have Strange Phobias like the fear of snakes or dark enclosed spaces, you will want to stay far away from this list.
Pack your bags, but don’t book a ticket. Here are 10 Forbidden Places you are not allowed to visit.
Table of Contents
10 Locations Off-Limits to the Public
1. North Sentinel Island (India)
This island is home to the Sentinelese, a tribe that has rejected all contact with the modern world for 60,000 years. They attack anyone who approaches with arrows.
The Indian government has banned travel within 3 miles of the island to protect both the tribe (from our diseases) and the visitors (from being killed).
⚡ Fun Fact: In 2018, an American missionary illegally visited the island and was killed.
2. Snake Island (Brazil)
Ilha da Queimada Grande is infested with between 2,000 and 4,000 Golden Lancehead vipers, one of the deadliest snakes in the world.
Their venom can melt human flesh. The Brazilian Navy forbids anyone from landing on the island, except for a few scientists with special permission.
⚡ Fun Fact: There is roughly one deadly snake for every square meter of the island.
3. Area 51 (USA)
This highly classified US Air Force facility in Nevada is the center of alien conspiracy theories. The government didn’t even acknowledge its existence until 2013.
It is heavily guarded by “camouflage dudes” who are authorized to use deadly force against trespassers. It remains one of the most famous Forbidden Places.
⚡ Fun Fact: Sensors in the ground can detect your footsteps miles away.
4. The Vatican Secret Archives
Deep within the Vatican City lies 53 miles of shelving containing state papers, correspondence, and account books from the Catholic Church spanning centuries.
Only a handful of scholars are allowed inside, and they cannot browse freely. Conspiracy theorists believe it hides evidence of aliens or historical cover-ups.
⚡ Fun Fact: It holds the request for the annulment of King Henry VIII’s marriage.
5. Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Located in the Arctic, this is the “Doomsday Vault.” It stores duplicates of seeds from almost every crop on Earth to ensure food security in case of global disaster.
It is built to withstand earthquakes and nuclear explosions. Unless you are a researcher or plant breeder, you are not getting in.
⚡ Fun Fact: It currently holds over 1 million seed samples.
6. Lascaux Caves (France)
These caves contain some of the most famous prehistoric paintings in the world, dating back 17,000 years. They were open to the public until 1963.
They were closed because the carbon dioxide from visitors’ breath was damaging the art. Now, only a few scientists can enter for a few minutes a week.
⚡ Fun Fact: A replica cave, Lascaux II, was built nearby for tourists.
7. Poveglia Island (Italy)
Often called the “most haunted island in the world,” Poveglia was used as a plague quarantine station where thousands died. Later, it became a mental asylum.
Locals say the soil is 50% human ash. The Italian government has banned tourists from visiting. Explore more strange places on Atlas Obscura.
⚡ Fun Fact: It is illegal to even step foot on the island.
8. Room 39 (North Korea)
This is a secretive organization inside the Workers’ Party of North Korea. It is believed to be responsible for finding ways to obtain foreign currency for the country’s leaders.
Rumors suggest it involves counterfeiting and drug smuggling. It is one of the most secretive Forbidden Places on Earth.
⚡ Fun Fact: Even many North Korean officials don’t know where it is located.
9. Bohemian Grove (USA)
Every July, the richest and most powerful men in the world gather at this private campground in California for a two-week retreat.
Presidents, oil tycoons, and bankers perform strange rituals in front of a giant owl statue. It is strictly invitation-only.
⚡ Fun Fact: The Manhattan Project was reportedly planned here.
10. Metro-2 (Russia)
Rumors say there is a secret subway system running parallel to the public Moscow Metro. It was built by Stalin to help government officials escape during a nuclear war.
The Kremlin has never confirmed its existence, but explorers claim to have found entrances to this underground world.
⚡ Fun Fact: It is said to be longer than the public metro system.
Conclusion
These Forbidden Places protect secrets, history, and sometimes, our own lives. While we can’t visit them, they fuel our imagination about what lies behind the locked doors of the world.
Which place would you sneak into if you could?